Time Warner workers OK contract two hours before strike deadline

The contract guarantees that work going to other divisions will not reduce the overtime for Local 377 workers.

WARREN — Trumbull County workers at Time Warner Cable approved a new five-year contract Friday night, two hours before they were threatening to go on strike.

The 38-member Teamsters Local 377, representing workers in the Warren and Niles divisions of Time Warner, approved the deal 33-4 at about 10 p.m., which was about four hours after the same body rejected an earlier contract offer 32-3.

The Warren and Niles divisions install and maintain cable lines in all of Trumbull County and a small part of Portage County near Hiram.

Bob Bernat, secretary-treasurer of the local, said he went back to the company to continue negotiations after the first vote and received language that guarantees that any work being farmed out to other workers from any other Time Warner divisions would not result in a reduction in the hours of overtime of the workers in Local 377.

The company has been allowed to subcontract some work to outside suppliers but wanted to be able to bring in other Time Warner employees for the first time.

Local 377 members said overtime is an important issue for the workers because they need it to make a livable wage. Bernat said many of the union members earn between $9 and $11 an hour, but the highest-paid workers earn $20 an hour. Workers said they put in between 10 and 40 hours of overtime over a two-week pay period.

The contract also protects the pension and health care benefits of workers and provides for increases of up to 25 percent over five years. Wages will rise between 3 percent and 10 percent per year, depending on wage classification, Bernat said.

The union’s contract expired at midnight after a 30-day extension.